Midwest Food Bank delivering relief boxes to Texas and Arkansas

Posted on May 3, 2017
Midwest Food Bank is sending hundreds of relief boxes south in conjunction with Salvation Army efforts. (Photo Facebook/Midwest Food Bank)

By Greg Halbleib

BLOOMINGTON – Midwest Food Bank is sending hundreds of disaster relief food boxes to areas of Texas and Arkansas affected by severe weather.

The Bloomington-based food bank is transporting the relief boxes in its role as a Salvation Army first responder. A semi truck with 768 boxes from the Peoria distribution center delivered boxes to Canton, Texas east of Dallas earlier this week, where tornadoes killed four people and injured dozens more. Another load has been requested for Fort Smith, Arkansas, the site of severe flooding from weekend storms. That load will leave Bloomington tomorrow. Hygiene products including soap, shampoo and toothpaste will be included with that load.

The Midwest Food Bank boxes each contain enough food and supplies for a family of four for five days.

“We are blessed to be able to help our neighbors in dire circumstances,” said Mike Hoffman, MFB Director of Operations. “We stand ready to continue to help as the Salvation Army needs.”

Anyone interested in volunteering to pack boxes can go to Midwest Food Bank’s Facebook page for information. Donations are accepted through the website at bloomington.midwestfoodbank.org.

Greg Halbleib can be reached at [email protected].

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…